How to Choose Between an MSI Claw and a Steam Deck

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Credit: Product images courtesy of Best Buy and Steam / Canva

The PC gaming handheld market continues to expand, with the latest handheld coming from MSI, a well-known and trusted name in the PC market. Sporting a more powerful set of specs and Windows 11, the MSI Claw is a solid handheld PC, but is more power enough to unseat the Steam Deck from its place as one of the best handheld gaming PCs? Here’s what you need to know.

Design and specs

When put side-by-side, the Steam Deck and the MSI Claw share a lot of similarities. Both feature large 7-inch displays in the center of their bodies (with a 7.4-inch display in the Steam Deck OLED). They also both feature the same two-sided controller system, though they look a bit different as the Steam Deck’s joysticks and buttons are situated differently. The Steam Deck is also the only of the two to offer the touchpads on the controllers, making it easy to simulate mouse movements with just a swipe of your finger.

From there, though, things start to deviate a little. The MSI Claw, for instance, has much more pointed corners, while the Steam Deck remains rounded at the edges. Depending on what style you prefer, one may be more comfortable than the other. I personally prefer the more rounded look of the Steam Deck, and it has never felt uncomfortable to hold, even when I’ve played for hours at a time. Those pointy corners on the Claw, though, may dig into your hands a bit if you hold onto the console tightly.

As for specs, I’ve already mentioned that the MSI Claw features more impressive specs, taking notes from the ASUS ROG Ally. Despite those improved specs, the Steam Deck offers easier gaming access thanks to its more streamlined Linux-based SteamOS system. Here’s a complete look at the specs for each handheld.

MSI Claw specs:

Intel-based Ultra Core processor

CPU: Intel core CU7 155H-Intel Arc, Intel core CU5 135H-Intel Arc

GPU: Intel Arc Graphics

RAM: 16GB LPDDR5

DISPLAY: 7-inch, 1920 x 1080 LED display with 120Hz refresh rate

SD CARD SLOT: Yes

Steam Deck specs:

AMD APU (upgraded 6nm APU in the Steam Deck OLED)

CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)

GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)

RAM: 16GB LPDDR5

DISPLAY: 7.4-inch, 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display, with 90 Hz refresh rate and 1,000 nits peak HDR brightness (Steam Deck OLED); 7-inch 1280 x 800 LCD display with 60Hz refresh rate)

SD CARD SLOT: Yes

As you can see, both devices feature some key differences, with the most notable being the higher refresh rate on the MSI Claw, as well as the much more powerful Intel processor. The Steam Deck’s included AMD APU is already aging, and it doesn’t offer as much power, but it does come with some perks, which we will discuss shortly. Not much on the original LCD Steam Deck is different than the upgraded Steam Deck OLED (the display is the biggest upgrade), but you can see the full list of Steam Deck OLED upgrades if you want a more in-depth look.

Just looking at things from a technical and hardware perspective, there’s almost no reason to choose to Steam Deck over the MSI Claw. But, as we all know, what is written down on paper is not always the full story.

Ease of gaming

To truly get the most out of your handheld gaming PC, you’re going to want something that is easy to work with and that you can easily navigate. In that respect, the MSI Claw and the Steam Deck could not be anymore different. Sure, if you decide to do any kind of modding or emulating, you’re going to need to get more familiar with Linux. But, if you just care about installing Steam games and playing them, the Steam Deck offers the easiest pick-up-and-play options.

That’s because SteamOS is built from the ground up to make it as easy as possible to jump in and start gaming. And it does that really well. On the other hand, the MSI Claw, because it uses Windows instead of SteamOS, requires you to bumble your way through the clunkiness of Microsoft’s prized operating system. It isn’t necessarily the most difficult thing to do, but it does require more clicks and movements to get games downloaded and to launch them. 

Those extra steps do come with a bonus, though: Because the Claw works off Windows, it is compatible with a lot more games, like those outside of the Steam marketplace. This means games like Fortnite, Genshin Impact, and any other game that hasn’t released on Steam are much easier to download and play on the MSI Claw. You can still play them on the Deck, but it will require a lot more work to get it taken care of.

Also, the Steam Deck has a ton of performance profiles freely available on the web to help you optimize your games for the Deck, and many are even starting to launch with “Steam Deck” setting options that help you get the most performance without losing too much visual quality. Not all games are quite to that point yet, but it is a leg-up that the Deck has over the Claw. However, the more powerful CPU and GPU found in the Claw will absolutely provide better performance and visuals in most games. Ultimately, it’s about choosing which operating system you prefer to work out of. If you just want the quickest and smoothest option that lets you jump into games as quickly as possible, the Steam Deck is the clear winner, though.

Price

When it comes to price, the Steam Deck and the MSI Claw aren’t all that different. The Steam Deck OLED retails for $549 for a 512GB storage option, but there is also a 1TB storage option that you can pick up for $649 if you feel you need the extra space. The MSI Claw, on the other hand, begins at $699.99 for a model with an Intel Core CU5 135H and 512GB of storage but goes up to $799.99 for the best model, which features an Intel Core CU7 155H with 1TB of storage. There’s also a middle option with the CU7 that only has 512GB of storage for $749.99.

Both the Steam Deck and the MSI Claw offer solid PC gaming experiences, and both come with expandable memory via SD cards that can help you carry more games around. If you want the most powerful of the two and don’t mind paying a little more, the MSI Claw is a surefire bet that will pay off in the long run. But, if you just want the easiest-to-use gaming PC handheld on the market, the Steam Deck remains my clear recommendation.